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| Version 2 | Version 3 |
|---|---|
| Taleban 'kill captured Germans' | Taleban 'kill captured Germans' |
| (20 minutes later) | |
| Two Germans kidnapped near Kabul in Afghanistan this week have been killed, a spokesman for the Taleban has said. | Two Germans kidnapped near Kabul in Afghanistan this week have been killed, a spokesman for the Taleban has said. |
| The spokesman, Qari Yousuf Ahmadi, said the Taleban's demand that Germany withdraw its 3,000 troops in Afghanistan had been ignored. | The spokesman, Qari Yousuf Ahmadi, said the Taleban's demand that Germany withdraw its 3,000 troops in Afghanistan had been ignored. |
| Afghan and German officials say they have no confirmation of the killings and are seeking evidence. | Afghan and German officials say they have no confirmation of the killings and are seeking evidence. |
| The Taleban has also threatened to kill at least 18 hostages from South Korea, captured separately on Thursday. | The Taleban has also threatened to kill at least 18 hostages from South Korea, captured separately on Thursday. |
| Deadlines pass | Deadlines pass |
| Local police said the Germans, whose identity has not been revealed, were seized with six Afghan colleagues on Wednesday in Wardak province where they had been working on a dam project. | Local police said the Germans, whose identity has not been revealed, were seized with six Afghan colleagues on Wednesday in Wardak province where they had been working on a dam project. |
| Germany has about 3,000 troops in the country | Germany has about 3,000 troops in the country |
| German foreign ministry spokesman Martin Jaeger said Berlin was taking the Taleban's statements "very seriously" but had no independent confirmation "that a hostage was murdered in Afghanistan". | German foreign ministry spokesman Martin Jaeger said Berlin was taking the Taleban's statements "very seriously" but had no independent confirmation "that a hostage was murdered in Afghanistan". |
| Germany has about 3,000 troops in the country. | Germany has about 3,000 troops in the country. |
| Qari Yousuf Ahmadi said that after the first hostage was killed - at 1205 local time (0735 GMT) - a deadline for the second captive was extended because the Afghan government had contacted the group. | Qari Yousuf Ahmadi said that after the first hostage was killed - at 1205 local time (0735 GMT) - a deadline for the second captive was extended because the Afghan government had contacted the group. |
| However, shortly afterwards he said the second German had also been killed. | However, shortly afterwards he said the second German had also been killed. |
| If confirmed, the killings would be the first of foreign hostages since the death of an Indian engineer in April last year. | If confirmed, the killings would be the first of foreign hostages since the death of an Indian engineer in April last year. |
| The fate of the South Koreans had not been decided, the spokesman said. | The fate of the South Koreans had not been decided, the spokesman said. |
| The Taleban wants South Korea's 200 troops to leave the country. | The Taleban wants South Korea's 200 troops to leave the country. |
| President Roh Moo-hyun urged the release of the South Koreans | President Roh Moo-hyun urged the release of the South Koreans |
| South Korean President Roh Moo-hyun appeared on television on Saturday to say his government was making every effort to secure the safe return of his country's citizens. | South Korean President Roh Moo-hyun appeared on television on Saturday to say his government was making every effort to secure the safe return of his country's citizens. |
| South Korea already planned to withdraw its troops by the end of the year, before the kidnappings. | |
| The Koreans were taken at gunpoint in Ghazni province while travelling in a bus from Kandahar city to the capital, Kabul, on Thursday. | The Koreans were taken at gunpoint in Ghazni province while travelling in a bus from Kandahar city to the capital, Kabul, on Thursday. |
| They were reportedly Christians on an evangelical and aid mission. At least 15 are said to be women. | They were reportedly Christians on an evangelical and aid mission. At least 15 are said to be women. |
| The BBC's Charles Haviland in Kabul says according to a local district governor tribal elders in Ghazni are trying to negotiate with the kidnappers for their release. | The BBC's Charles Haviland in Kabul says according to a local district governor tribal elders in Ghazni are trying to negotiate with the kidnappers for their release. |
| The seizure was the largest-scale abduction of foreigners since the fall of the Taleban regime in 2001, according to the Associated Press. | The seizure was the largest-scale abduction of foreigners since the fall of the Taleban regime in 2001, according to the Associated Press. |